Clamping device for closing a fluid or paste container



Dec. 11, 1956 L. v. s. LUNDAHL 2,773,627

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLOSING A FLUID OR PASTE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 51,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VV/V7'OR Le niza m? Lundak Z Y ,BJWWWMWZYW AT T0RNEYS Dec. 11, 1956 1.. v. s. LUNDAHL 2,773,627

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLOSING A FLUID 0E PASTE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 51,1955 2 Sheets-$heet 2 INVE/VTOR Lennari Lune/Zak Z Qj WZWM; WmmmrWZa/zdzATTORNEYS v For the object stated, according to the present inve U itedStates P ero CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLOSING A FLUID OR PASTE CONTAINERLennart Viktor Samuel Lundahl, Motala, Sweden Application October 31,1955, Serial No. 543,786

14 Claims. (Cl. 222-107) flatly against :a clamping surface on arigid'fname or 2,773,627 Patented Dec. 11, 1956 second branch extendingforwardly from the junction support by the action of a correspondingclampingsurface provided on one branch of a double-branched resilientclamping member, the latter being with its other branch mounted on saidframe and having a tendency to reduce the angle of opening formedbetween the branches, the said other branch of the clamping member beingpivotally mounted at its extreme end to a stationary portion of saidframe and serving as a driving branch, the opposite end of this branchjoining the other branch resiliently, whilst this other branch forms aclamping branch which is thus resiliently pivotable relative to saiddriving branch and which carries the said clamping surface of theclamping member.

The previously known clamping devices of the kind of the two branchesand outwardly of the first branch, a' substantial front end extension ofsaid second branch being curved inwardly past the location of mountingof the first branch so as to cause its extreme end to be directed at anobtuse angle to said mouth supporting surface, and the resiliency ofsaid clamping member being such as to urge its branches toward eachother and thus the second or outer branch with its extreme end towardsaid mouth supporting surface, thus reducing the angle between said twobnanches; an elongated *upper clamping surface formed at the extreme endof said second clamping member branch and extending transversely thereofin cooperative relation to said lower clamping surface formed in saidmouth supporting surface, said clamping member being adapted to collapsesaid mouth fla-tly between said upper and lower clamping surface so asto close and seal said mouth; and opening cam means adapted to cooperatewith said second clamping member branch to force its said upper clampingsurface away from said lower clamping surface upon manually depressingthe unsupported rear end portion of said clamping member.

The invention will now be described more in detail, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodimentthereof in anon-limita- 'tive sense and in which: Fig. l is aperspective view of the clamping device as shown separately and with aportion of the clamping member broken away in order to expose internalstructure,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clamping device mounted on a tubulararticle the mouth of which is closed and sealed by the clamping device.

indicated involve certain drawbacks which it is an.

Thus, in the Fig. 3 is a plan view of the clamping device mounted on acollapsible plastic tube or the like, but with the clamping memberproper removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the clamping device taken alongthe line IV--IV in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings more specifically, in

t the embodiment illustrated therein the clamping member mounted on acontainer, it is susceptible of increasing the bulk thereof. Inaddition, the clamping member proper is not so simple in structure aspossible, and its mounting is not satisfactory in every respect. Neitherhas this prior device altogether efiicient means for its fastening tothe container.

1 consists of a doubled leaf spring one, shorter, branch I of which, thedriving branch 2, is pivotally mounted The present invention has for itsobject, inter alia,

to overcome these inconveniences in respect of clamping devices of thekind indicated, Further objects and advantages will become'apparent asthe description hereinafter proceeds.

tion, a manually operable self-closing clamping device for closing acollapsible mouth of a fluid 'or paste container comprises incombination: a substantially rigid frame having a longitudinal passagetherethrough and being adapted to be 'removably mounted on two oppositelateral edges of said container at the region of its mouth so. as togrip and encase said month Within said passage whilst leaving its fluidexit free; a fiat supporting surfacefor one fiat side of said mouthdisposed on said I, 5 frame so as to face said passage; an elongatedlower clamping surface formed in said supporting surface and extendingtransversely of said passage; a double-branched resilient clampingmember mounted at the extreme end of one of its two branches on astationary portion of said frame situated opposite said supportingsurface rela tive to said passage, said clamping member extendingrearwardly from said stationary frame portion and in substantiallyspaced parallel relation to said passage and also to the second branchof said clamping member, said on the frame 3a, 3b by mounting meansformed by a depending boss 4 engaging with a slight clearance an opening5 formed in the branch 2 near its extreme end. The clamping member 1further comprises a longer branch 6, the clamping branch, which issituated outwardly of the shorter branch 2 and which joins the shorterbranchthrough the medium of a resilient connection or junction formed inthe present instance by the bend 7 in the leaf spring. The clampingmember ,1 is mounted on the frame in such amanner that its branchesextend substantially .in spaced parallel relation to that portion of theframe which forms the support for the mouth portion or neck 11 of thetubular article 12 which may be made of a plastic material and may beformed of tubing halving cut-in shoulder portions suitably weldedtogether at their edges 24. Thus, the location of the pivotal mounting4, 5 of thedriving branch 2 is disposed between the tubular article 12andthe clamping branch 6. The extended free end portion 13 of theclamping branch 6 is .bent inwardly past the pivotal mounting location4, 5 of the clamping member 1 so that, during the pivotal motion of theclamping member, the clamping surface 9 provided on the extreme end ofsaid extension will move substantially transversely rela tive to thelongitudinal direction of the tubular article. The frame 3a, 3b isfurther provided with an opening cam 15 which is adapted to co operatewith the clamping branch 6 in order to force its clamping surface 9 awayfrom the lower clamping surface 8 provided on the base 3a when theunsupported rear end portion 7 of the clamping member 1 isbeingdepressed manually.

The two branches 2, 6 of the clamping member 1 are substantiallyrectilinear in shape along a distance of the order of magnitude of thelength of .the inner Clamping member branch 2, as considered from thejunction 7 of the two branches, and the latter form between them a smallacute angle. During the opening movement of the device it is arrangedthat said opening cam 15 slidingly engages the non-curved portion 16 ofthe outermost branch 6 of the clamping member 1. The opening cam '15 isformed by a transversely extending outer edge of a prismatic bridge-likeelement 14 which extends transversely through the hollow outer portion3b of the frarne. This bridge 14 forming the ,cam'lS traverses theopening formed between the two branches 2 6 of the clamping member. Theinner or driving branch 2 of the clamping member 1 is provided ,near itsextremeend with said opening by which the clamping member .1 is engagedon, and thus pivotally mounted .on, .said ,boss 4 :whichprojectsfinwardly toward the longitudinal passage .10 .extending throughthe frame, the boss 4 thus depending from the Hat inner surface of saidbridge 14.

The frame of the clamping device is formed by two separate matingmembers, viz. an upper member 3b and a base member 3a, the latter memberforming the supporting surface for the mouth portion 11 .of the itubulararticle 12, which surface is formed, :as hereinbefore' member .3bcomprisestwo opposite lateral wall portions 17 which are rigidlyinterconnected by the camming bridge 14 extending transverselytherebctween. The two mating members 30 and 3b of the frame are formedwith complementary interengagement and locating elements in the form ofcomplementary shaped projections or shoulders 18, 19 and recesses 20, 21for releasably interconnecting and retaining the frame members, and thelatter are provided, in addition, with rearwardly and outwardly directedclamping members 22, 23 cooperating for clamping the frame about theopposite lateral edges 24 of the fluid or paste container 12. Further,in the regions of the projections 18, 19 and recesses 20, 21 the framemembers 3a, 3b are slightly resilient so as to enable the frame membersto be slightly deformed preparatory to their being snapped intoengagement with each other,

causingthe clamping elements 22, 23 automatically to clamp between themthe edges 24 of the tubular article 12. The" cooperating clampingelements 22, 23 of the frame members 3!), 3a are formed withcorresponding shallow recesses 25 and round-faced projections or bosses26,which elements serve forlocating the opposite lateral edges of thecontainer 12 when disposed betweenthe "cooperating clamping elements 22,23. Preferably, the two frame members'consist of separatemoldings of aplastic material which affords the adequate resiliency just is ofparticular importance where a manually operable ealing and'cl'osingdevice for containers .12 of soft plastic 'material,such as collapsiblefiuid or paste tubes, is

required, and where the clampingdevice should be readily and simplymanufactured, unobstructive and non-bulky and nevertheless exert aperfect closing and sealing action, as well as it should be easy andquick in operation. When the device 'is mounted on, for instance, acollapsible plastic tube 12 filled wtih a liquid or paste, it is an easymatter to open the clamping device into the position shown in Fig.4 byslightly depressing the clamping member 1 by a thumb-pressureexerted onthe limb or branch 6, and to pour an adequate amount of the liquid,paste or "thelike'from'th'e tube 12 through the neck 11 thereof.

During this opening movement the clamping branch 6, 13 is being forcedoutwardly by the opening cam 15. Upon releasing the clamping member thelatter will be relieved of its resilient force causing the clampingbranch to return to its closing position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, inwhich position its clamping surface urges the tube neck 11 flatlyagainst the corresponding clamping surface of the base 3a.

The invention may be varied in many different ways within the scope ofthe invention. Thus the clamping surfaces 8 and-9, while extending inparallel with one another, may be curved instead of straight, as viewedin a section perpendicular to the mouth, for instance, so that such asection of the clamping surface 8 is concave while the correspondingsection of the clamping surface 9 is correspondingly convex.

What I claim is:

1. A manually-operable self-closing clamping device for closing acollapsible mouth of a flexible-walled container, comprising asubstantially rigid frame having a through passage for receiving saidcontainer at the region of its mouth with the latter open, said framehaving a clamping surface adapted to engage one side of the containermouth; adouble-branched resilient clamping member having elongatebranches connected by a yoke portion, said branches extending alongsideeach other; means engaging an end of one branch of said clamping'member, mounting the latter on the frame, the two branches of saidmember extending substantially parallel to the through passage of theframe, the other branch of the clamping .memberextending beyond theextremity of the one branch, curving toward and extending to theclamping surface of the frame, said branches of the clamping memberbeing biased toward each other whereby the curved portion of the saidother branch is biased toward said frame clamping surface to collapsethe mouth of the container thereagainst and seal the same; and openingcam means cooperable with said other branch of the clamping member toforce the curved portion thereof away from the frame clamping surface inresponse to lateral movement of the yoke portion of the clamping member.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the branches of theclamping member where they are co- 4 extensive are .substantiallyrectilinear and form between frame has a pair of spaced portions betweenwhich the clamping member extends, and in which'the .cam .meanscomprises a bridge-like member disposed between :and secured to saidtspaced portions ,of the frame and" having a laterally-extending portionengaged with the said other branch of the clamping member.

5. The invention as defined 'in claim 4, in which the bridge-like memberof the cammeans is disposed between the two branches of the clampingmember.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, in which the said one branch'ofthe clamping member has an opening,

'and in which the bridge-like member has a boss projecting through thesaid opening, :said opening .andlboss con- 65 on the frame.

.Stitllting a part .of the .means mounting the one branch 7. Theinvention as defined in claim 6, in which the -clamping member comprisesa leaf spring, the branches of which are integral with each other.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the frame comprises apair of separate, mating ,members,

each of said members .having positioning'means for enlga'ging' andpositioning opposite wall. portionsv of :said

container. p

9. The invention as defined in claim 8, in which the 'mating members ofthe frame have cooperable and complementary interlocking means, and havecooperable clamping elements for clamping the said opposite wallportions of the container.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9, in which the interlocking meanscomprise projections and recesses on the frame members, said members inthe regions of the projections and recesses being slightly resilient toenable them to be slightly deformed and snapped into engagement with oneanother.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10, in which the mating framemembers comprise molded plastic pieces, each piece constituting a singleunitary structure integral with the said interlocking'means and the saidclamping elements.

12. The invention as defined in claim 9, in which the cooperableclamping elements of the mating members have shallow recesses andround-faced projections adapted to engage the said opposite wallportions of the container.

13. The invention as defined in claim 8, in which one frame membercarries the said clamping surface of the frame.

14. The invention as defined in claim 8, in which one of the matingmembers has two spaced portions, and in which the said opening cam meanscomprises a bridge member extending between and connecting said spacedportions.

No references cited.

